Guajillo Corn & Cheddar Enchiladas

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the rice. Cook, uncovered, 30 to 32 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Remove any husks and silks from the corn; cut the kernels off the cobs. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Halve the lime crosswise. Grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then small dice. Thoroughly wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chorizo. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 7 to 9 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a bowl.

In the pan of reserved fond, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the corn kernels in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned (be careful, as the corn may pop as it cooks). Season with salt and pepper. Add the diced pepper, sliced white bottoms of the scallions, and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Add half the guajillo sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and ¼ cup of water. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the liquid has slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

To the pot of cooked rice, add the cooked vegetables, cooked chorizo, half the sour cream, and the juice of both lime halves. Stir to thoroughly combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.  

Place the tortillas on a work surface. Spread about 3 cups of the filling into the bottom of a baking dish. Divide the remaining filling among the tortillas. Tightly roll up each tortilla around the filling. Transfer to the baking dish, seam side down. Evenly top with the remaining guajillo sauce and grated cheese. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven; let stand at least 2 minutes before serving. Serve the baked enchiladas topped with the remaining sour cream and sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!